HONG KONG \u2013 This weekend, thousands of Lutherans will arrive for their World Federation\u2019s ninth General Assembly, flowing into this city\u2019s new convention center in the wake of what seemed like most of the world\u2019s diplomats and news crews.<\/p>\n\n
Commentators will hail the gathering as another sign that life is continuing as usual with red Chinese flags flying overhead.<\/p>\n\n
The reality is more complicated than that. The decision to hold this Lutheran assembly in Hong Kong was made five years ago and it drew a behind- the-scenes reaction that raised eyebrows. Officials at the New China News Agency \u2013 the Chinese hierarchy\u2019s Hong Kong voice before the handover \u2013 began asking if the assembly would address any \u201cpolitical\u201d issues.<\/p>\n\n
Eventually, the Lutherans got the nod. But religious leaders got the point.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cThis is Hong Kong. This is one of the most international cities in the world,\u201d stressed the Rev. Kwok Nai-wang, director of the Hong Kong Christian Institute. \u201cDay in and day out, we have international meetings of all kinds here. We have never had to ask for the government\u2019s permission. This was a signal that things would be different after July 1.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Religious groups in the new Hong Kong Special Administrative Region have been promised that little will change. Article 32 of its Basic Law seems clear: \u201cHong Kong residents shall have freedom of conscience. Hong Kong residents shall have freedom of religious belief and freedom to preach and to conduct and participate in religious activities in public.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Once again, the reality will almost certainly be more complex than that. China\u2019s leaders have repeatedly said that Hong Kong must retain its unique role as one of the world\u2019s most freewheeling financial markets and as the economic gateway to the mainland. Yet the region\u2019s new leaders also have taken the first steps to control \u2014 not crush \u2014 those who want to defend human rights in Hong Kong or to advocate changes in the mainland.<\/p>\n\n
In the weeks ahead, media attention will focus on critical issues of economics, dissent and freedom of the press. Yet these issues will also affect people in churches, temples and mosques. After all, Hong Kong has for decades served as the hub for hundreds of religious groups with regional and global ties. Multinational corporations are not the only groups that worry about losing control of their Hong Kong assets. Politicians and reporters are not the only people who fear losing their right to speak in the public square.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cFreedom of religion \u2014 if you limit that to freedom of worship \u2014 is certainly going to be safe,\u201d said Kwok, who led the Hong Kong Christian Council from 1977-88. \u201cIf we want to meet our social responsibilities to the poor, or if we challenge social structures and policies, we will be in trouble. \u2026 But faith cannot be merely a private matter, if it is truly free. It is a matter of public action. That will place us on a collision course.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Most Hong Kong religious leaders issued cautiously optimistic statements in the days leading up to this week\u2019s handover. Others had varying reasons to remain silent.<\/p>\n\n
Because of Hong Kong\u2019s history as a British colony, its Anglican churches and schools have close ties to the government and to the tycoons that govern the city. Also, as much as 80 percent of Roman Catholic education and social work in Hong Kong is government subsidized. The leaders of these 400 establishment parishes have clout, but can ill afford to rock the boat. Hong Kong insiders call this \u201cThe Unholy Alliance.\u201d Meanwhile, those who lead the region\u2019s 800-plus evangelical churches and mission groups insist that they will stay focused on ministry, while avoiding controversial public issues.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cWe are not saying that nothing bad is going to happen,\u201d said a Baptist leader, who asked to remain anonymous. \u201cWe are saying that there is a piece of paper that says nothing bad is going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
HONG KONG \u2013 This weekend, thousands of Lutherans will arrive for their World Federation\u2019s ninth General Assembly, flowing into this city\u2019s new convention center in the wake of what seemed like most of the world\u2019s diplomats and news crews. Commentators will hail the gathering as another sign that life is continuing as usual with red […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":610,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n